BIO cluster
The BIO cluster encompasses biochemistry, molecular, structural and cell biology, virology, biochemical pharmacology, physiology, chemical ecology, bioinformatics, and more.
Biochemical groups perform multidisciplinary research focused on the detailed characterization of human pathogens, such as HIV, SARS CoV-2 virus, HBV, influenza virus, or Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and the interaction of key pathogenic proteins with cellular machineries, RNA modifications of viral and bacterial RNAs, analysis of regulatory processes affecting cancer growth, metabolic disorders (diabetes and obesity), and neurodegenerative processes.
Scientists use structural biology and biochemical characterization of medically or biotechnologically interesting enzymes, membrane receptors and channels, transcription factors, as well as their complexes and interactions with cellular partners and inhibitors. The aim of these projects is not only to better understand biological processes but also to identify novel therapeutic targets.
Biological activity screening, investigation into the mechanism of action of bioactive compounds synthesized in medicinal chemistry groups, and the development of original diagnostic methods contribute to the successful identification of bioactive substances.
Investigations of chemical ecology and molecular mechanisms of pheromone biosynthesis and the search for pheromone components of pest insect species are utilized in characterizing social insect communication and their subsequent application in mating disruption. Many of the studies are further supported by bioinformatics, and IOCB hosts one of the nodes of the pan-European bioinformatics infrastructure ELIXIR.